Certification & Documentation

An installation includes a departure from a requirement of BS 7671. What must the person responsible for the work do?

• ANothing further, provided they judge the installation to be safe
• BReport the departure to the local building control body instead of recording it
• CRefuse to certify the installation until the departure has been removed
• DRecord the departure on the certificate, together with the reason it is safe✓

Answer: BS 7671 permits a departure where the resulting degree of safety is not less than that of full compliance, but it must be recorded on the Electrical Installation Certificate along with its justification. Leaving it unrecorded gives whoever works on the installation next no way of knowing why it differs from the Regulations, and a departure is not in itself a reason to withhold certification.

What must be included on an EIC?

• AEquipment prices, with the wholesaler's invoice numbers listed against each item of switchgear
• BJust a date, since the schedules of inspection and test results are separate documents in their own right
• COnly the installer's name, because the design and the inspection are always done by that same person
• DDesigner, installer, inspector names; test results; description of work; and compliance declaration✓

Answer: EICs must contain detailed certification of design, installation, testing, and compliance.

What is a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC)?

• AA full installation certificate covering the design, construction and inspection of a complete new circuit
• BWithdrawn from use in the UK when the 18th Edition of BS 7671 was published, and no longer issued
• CAn equipment test certificate issued by the maker of a portable appliance after routine testing
• DCertification for non-notifiable minor electrical work, not requiring full EIC✓

Answer: MEIWCs certify minor works such as single circuit modifications.

What is an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)?

• AA design document
• BThe report from periodic inspection of existing installations, detailing defects and recommendations✓
• CAn annual maintenance plan
• DA warranty document

Answer: EICRs document the condition of existing electrical systems and identify any defects.

What are the typical codes used in EICRs to classify defects?

• AC1 (urgent), C2 (requires urgent attention), C3 (requires attention), and observations✓
• BA, B, C only
• CColour coding only, with red used for dangerous items and green for those needing no further action
• DJust Pass or Fail against each circuit, with no indication of how serious any defect actually is

Answer: EICR codes: C1 (dangerous), C2 (potentially dangerous), C3 (non-compliant), and observations.

Who can issue a valid EIC?

• AA building surveyor only, acting for the local authority building control department
• BAn insurance company only, once it has inspected the property and accepted the risk in writing
• CAnyone
• DA competent person or qualified electrician registered with a Part P scheme✓

Answer: Valid EICs are issued by competent persons, typically registered electricians with schemes like NICEIC.

What information must be on a Schedule of Test Results (SOR)?

• AEquipment serial numbers only, listed against the ways they occupy in the distribution board
• BJust a project list
• CAll measured test values, dates, instrument used, and acceptance criteria for each test✓
• DJust signatures

Answer: SOR documents all electrical test measurements and must show how results comply with BS 7671.

What is the relationship between an EIC and Part P Building Regulations?

• AEntirely unrelated; Part P applies only to commercial and industrial premises, never to dwellings
• BThe EIC is not related to building codes, which are enforced solely through the planning system
• CPart P only applies to plumbing work carried out in kitchens and bathrooms of existing dwellings
• DEIC serves as evidence of Part P compliance for electrical work✓

Answer: EICs provide evidence that electrical work has been done safely and complies with Building Regulations Part P.

How long should electrical installation documentation be retained?

• ARetention is required only until the client has signed for receipt of the certificate
• B1 year only, after which the certificate is replaced by the next periodic inspection report
• C3 years maximum, because data protection rules require the records to be destroyed by then
• DMinimum 7 years for future reference and legal purposes✓

Answer: Electrical documentation should be retained for at least 7 years.

What must be documented for each protective device?

• ARating, function, breaking capacity, and location✓
• BParticulars are not fixed
• CJust the type
• DOnly the manufacturer, since the rating and breaking capacity are printed on the device itself

Answer: Protective devices must be documented with type, rating, breaking capacity, and clear labeling.

What is the purpose of a cable schedule in electrical documentation?

• ACost tracking only, so the length of cable used on each circuit can be charged to the client
• BClear identification of all circuits, cable sizing, routes, and protection details✓
• CA redundant document, as cable sizes are recorded on the as-installed drawings and nowhere else
• DAn equipment inventory listing every accessory fitted, with its catalogue number and finish

Answer: Cable schedules document all circuits with sizes, routes, and protection for maintenance and safety.

What must be documented regarding circuit loads?

• ALoad is not documented, because the protective device rating already records the circuit's capacity
• BEstimated load in amps for each circuit, allowing verification of cable sizing✓
• CJust the highest load
• DOnly three-phase loads

Answer: Circuit loads must be documented to verify cables are correctly sized.

What information should an as-installed drawing contain?

• AJust the designer's name
• BActual circuit routing, device locations, and cable paths as built (not as designed)✓
• CEquipment costs
• DThe content is not prescribed

Answer: As-installed drawings show the actual installation for future reference and maintenance.

What is the purpose of a test certificate separate from the EIC?

• AIt serves a completely different purpose, covering portable appliances rather than the fixed wiring
• BThe Schedule of Test Results provides detailed test data supporting the EIC✓
• CCost reduction
• DA separate certificate is not used, as all measured values are written on the face of the EIC itself

Answer: Test results are detailed separately in the Schedule of Test Results, supporting the overall EIC.

What must be declared on an EIC regarding competence?

• AThe installer's experience only
• BThe installer's age
• CCompetence goes undeclared
• DThat the work has been carried out by competent persons meeting BS 7671✓

Answer: EICs declare that work was carried out by competent persons.

What should a circuit diagram document show?

• AOnly cable sizes
• BA printed schedule on the distribution board cover removes the need for any further detail
• CAll equipment, protective devices, control points, and interconnections✓
• DJust the wiring

Answer: Circuit diagrams show all equipment, devices, and connections for understanding and maintenance.

What is required on the main distribution board diagram?

• ADetail is left open
• BJust the front face
• COnly the incoming supply
• DAll circuit details, device ratings, load information, and protective device coordination✓

Answer: Main board diagrams must show all circuits, device ratings, and protection details.

What symbol is used for a circuit breaker in electrical diagrams?

• AA fuse symbol
• BA switch symbol with a distinctive curve or label 'CB'✓
• CThe symbol is not standardised
• DAn R shape

Answer: Circuit breakers are represented by distinctive switch symbols, often with 'CB' label.

What must be included in the declaration of the person carrying out initial verification?

• AName, address, qualification status, and declaration that work meets BS 7671✓
• BOnly a signature, since the verifier's details are already held by the certification scheme provider
• CJust the date
• DThe declaration is a mere formality and may be left blank wherever the client agrees

Answer: Initial verification declaration includes verifier details and compliance statement.

How should temporary installations be documented?

• AWith as-installed drawings, load schedules, and inspection records for duration of use✓
• BOnly a verbal description, given to the site manager at the start of each working week on site
• CDocumentation is not permitted on site, because certificates would be damaged by weather exposure
• DDocumentation may be skipped, since the installation will be removed at the end of the job

Answer: Temporary installations must be documented for safe operation and eventual removal.

What is the purpose of labeling circuits in the main distribution board?

• AThe labels achieve nothing
• BCost marking
• CClear identification for safe operation, maintenance, and emergency isolation✓
• DAesthetic only, giving the board a tidy appearance when the cover is removed for inspection

Answer: Circuit labels ensure safe identification for operation, testing, and maintenance.

What should special characteristics documentation include?

• AAny unusual designs, high loads, special equipment, or hazardous areas needing attention✓
• BJust the color scheme
• CUnusual features are obvious to anyone opening the board, so nothing special is documented
• DEquipment cost

Answer: Special characteristics documentation alerts to unusual aspects affecting operation or maintenance.

What is a Test Instrument Accuracy Certificate?

• AA certificate with no place in electrical work
• BAn equipment warranty
• CA type of EIC
• DDocumentation that test instruments are calibrated and suitable for accurate measurements✓

Answer: Test instrument calibration certificates verify accuracy of equipment used for testing.

What must be documented about RCDs in an installation?

• ADetails are left unrecorded
• BJust the type
• CRating, sensitivity, test button operation, and location for identification✓
• DOnly the manufacturer

Answer: RCDs must be documented with type, sensitivity, location, and test procedure.

What is the purpose of a 'defects schedule' in an EICR?

• AListing defects found, their location, severity code (C1, C2, C3), and recommended actions✓
• BThe schedule does not exist; observations are written in the free-text box on the front of the report
• CEquipment inventory
• DCost estimation only, giving the client a price for the remedial work rather than its severity

Answer: Defects schedules in EICRs detail all non-compliances with codes and recommendations.